Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 1
Informing Healthcare Volunteers About Emergency Medical Response Efforts in California
Manager/Response Personnel Unit Staff Message
Theresa Gonzales
Manager, Response Personnel Unit
National Volunteer Week is being observed April 17-23. Many people cite the ability
to make a difference in their community as their reason for volunteering but there are
other benefits as well. You can make a difference in your community while making
new friends, aiding the cause of your choice, and connecting with colleagues in the
healthcare community.
After the tragic World Trade Center attack in 2001, thousands of volunteers flooded
New York to offer their assistance. However, there was no way to verify the
credentials of those desperately wishing to help. A national system to pre-register
was born from that realization and it is called the Emergency System for Advance
Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP). In California, the system
is known as the Disaster Healthcare Volunteers (DHV) System.
The Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Program was developed to register, search for,
and notify licensed healthcare professionals who are willing to volunteer in an
emergency. Volunteers are organized locally and may be utilized locally, regionally or
throughout the state and assignments can range from hours to days. Of course, as a
volunteer, you have the option to accept or decline any opportunity.
This week we recognize those that have served and continue to serve as volunteers,
and we urge you to invite your friends and colleagues to join your local unit by
registering in the DHV System at https://healthcarevolunteers.ca.gov/ to make your
community a better place to live!
1. Manager/Response Personnel Unit Staff Mess age
2. CA EMSA Disaster Medical Response Programs
3. MRC Corner
4-7. MRC Unit Articles
8. Online Disaster Training Opportunities
9. DHV User Tips
10. DHV is California’s ESAR-VHP Program
11. Have you updated your DHV Registration Information Lately?
Page Article
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers
Spring 2022
In this Issue
:
Janet Lago
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 2
CA EMSA Disaster Medical Response Programs
California Medical Assistant Teams (CAL-MAT)
The CAL-MAT is a paid program within the Emergency Medical Services Authority
(EMSA) under Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF 8) which provides medical support
across the State of California during disasters. There are currently 5 CAL-MAT units that
are comprised of almost 1,300 members that include Emergency Medical Technicians, Paramedics,
Certified Nursing Aids, Licensed Vocational Nurses, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners,
Physician Assistants, Physicians,
Pharmacists, and Behavioral Health
Professionals, Administrative, Logisticians,
Warehouse Workers, Safety Officers,
Communications Officers, and more.
CAL-MAT prepare and respond to natural
disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes,
floods, and other emergencies like the
COVID 19 pandemic and terrorist attacks.
During a disaster, members can deploy for
a minimum of two weeks at various
locations across the state. There has been
major growth for the program since the
onset of the COVID 19 pandemic.
CAL-MAT units consist of members who
are in a geographical area to which they
reside. Unit members typically meet a few times a year at the discretion of the Unit Lead.
Communication for disasters go through the Disaster Healthcare Volunteers (DHV) System. These
units include both medical and non-medical paid emergency hires that provide support during a
disaster upon an approved request in accordance with the Standardized Emergency Management
System (SEMS).
For more information regarding the CAL-MAT Program, please visit https://emsa.ca.gov/disaster-
medical-response-programs/. If you have any questions regarding the CAL-MAT Program, please
send an email to cal.mat@emsa.ca.gov
California Health Corps (CAHC)
CAHC is comprised of approximately 450 healthcare professionals, including Registered Nurses,
Licensed Vocational Nurses, Certified Nursing Aids, Emergency Medical Technicians, Nurse
Practitioners, Physicians (MD, DO, Psychiatrist), Physicians Assistants, Respiratory Therapists, and
Behavior Health Professionals with active licenses to provide support to medical facilities that are
impacted due to a medical surge. The CAHC program was designed to provide specific health care
professionals to medical facilities or vaccination PODS experiencing a staffing shortage. CAHC
members may also be deployed to support the fulfillment of state-level medical facilities in
accordance with the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) and during a disaster.
Please visit https://emsa.ca.gov/disaster-medical-response-programs/ to learn more about the
program. If you have any questions regarding the CAHC program, please send an email to:
cahealthcorps@emsa.ca.gov
EMSA Warehouse Station 4 CAL-MAT Members
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 3
MRC Corner
Lauran Molina
California State MRC Coordinator
National Volunteer week is the third week of April. It is a time to say thank
you and honor all the volunteers. Volunteering builds communities and
creates a better place to live. Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) engages local
communities to strengthen public health, reduce vulnerability, build
resilience, and improve preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities.
There are over 21,000 accepted and pending MRC Volunteers and 35 MRC
Units in California. A big THANK YOU for serving the golden state and for
improving the health and safety of your communities.
This quarter many MRC Units have still been activated to support COVID-19
response with testing and vaccination clinics. Other unit activities include,
Ventura County MRC had their volunteers conduct surveys with the homeless community and
provided stroke, heart attack, and seizure trainings. San Diego County MRC conducted a
communications drill with their Disaster Shelter Health Services Team. City of Cupertino MRC gave
a First Aid/Triage training for their volunteers.
The Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) staff will be hosting an MRC Coordinators
Training Workshop in May. We anticipate that the MRC Training Workshop will have 45 in
attendance. The workshop will provide an opportunity for California’s MRCs to strategize on the
incorporation of MRCs into local emergency plans and to highlight daily best practices for
sustainability, standardized training, and real situation experiences when responding to public health
emergencies or disasters. Workshop presenters, to name a few, will include Keirsten Andersen from
the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO), MRC Coordinators from
units that responded to the 2020/2021 fires and COVID-19. Ron Bialek from MRC Train,
Don Glueckert from Cal OES, HOSA Future Health Professionals of Cathedral City High School.
Please encourage your friends, colleagues, and family to register to volunteer at
https://healthcarevolunteers.ca.gov/ by selecting the nearest MRC Unit to where they reside. More
MRC information can be found here: https://mrc.hhs.gov/.
Please be sure to continue reading to hear about California’s ONLY Statewide MRC, California
Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps (CAVMRC), a few excerpts from a volunteer with Sonoma County
MRC, Contra Costa MRCs new MRC Coordinator, and to hear about San Diego MRCs Medical
Countermeasures (MCM) team.
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 4
MRC Unit Articles
California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps
California’s epic wildfires affect thousands of people each
year, with many experiencing disruption, displacement,
and loss. The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and Disaster
Healthcare Volunteers systems are lifelines for many in
need, and again this year have stepped up to help
communities affected by disasters. Sometimes we forget
though, that animals are also among the victims during
disasters Whether they be wildlife, food production
animals, companion animals, horses, or others, a disaster
is indiscriminate. Did you know that California has a MRC
that specializes in just animals? We do! It is called the
California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps, or the
CAVMRC.
The CAVMRC is unique not only in that it is composed of
veterinary professionals who exclusively provide
veterinary care to animals in disaster responses, but also
in that it is the ONLY statewide MRC. With over 2,600 volunteer veterinarians, registered veterinary
technicians, veterinary assistants, and students, the CAVMRC is the largest veterinary medical
reserve corps in the country. The CAVMRC helps all species of domestic animal across the state-
everything from a mouse to a cow. Of course, most of the animals that the CAVMRC serves are
companion animals like dogs, cats, and horses, but cattle, chickens, sheep, goats, alpacas, lizards,
rabbits, and others have also been helped over the years. Registered in 2009, the CAVMRC has
responded to several major wildfires in the state at the request of a county animal services authority
under the direction of the
California Emergency
Medical Services Authority
(EMSA). Most recently, the
CAVMRC deployed to the
Caldor Fire in El Dorado
County.
For 19 days, the CAVMRC
deployed volunteers to
work 12-hour day shifts to
help at six emergency
animal shelter locations in
El Dorado and Amador counties between late August and early September. A total of 67 volunteers
provided a combined 1,228 hours of volunteer service to provide free veterinary care to animals in
need. Unlike many fire response deployments in the past, the CAVMRC treated relatively few burned
animals in the Caldor fire. Instead, the lion share of cases involved medical management of
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 5
pre-existing health conditions, upper respiratory issues due to poor air quality, heat stress, and
stress-related gastrointestinal disorders. Our volunteers provided care to several species of animals
including sheep, goats, horses, ducks, chickens, tortoises, dogs, and cats.
Following the Caldor deployment, the CAVMRC held its annual Fall Training in person in November
2021 in Santa Rosa, CA. Nearly 200 attendees filled the room to capacity to learn about the latest in
veterinary burn care, smoke inhalation and trauma management, reducing animal stress in shelters,
animal shelter biosecurity, and deployment in the CAVMRC. Attendees earned valuable continuing
education credit for a low cost.
Contra Costa County Medical Reserve Corps
Contra Costa County Medical Reserve Corps says farewell
to an amazing MRC Leader, Lisa Vajgrt-Smith. Lisa has
led the Contra Costa MRC since 2014, providing
outstanding leadership, support, and dedication to the
team. She has been an integral part of the Emergency
Management System in Contra Costa County. Lisa’s past
accolades are vast but, here are just a few of the many
efforts that she led with her amazing team of CCC MRC
Volunteers:
• Public Mass Flu Clinics
• PGE PSPS
• CZU Complex Wildland Fire – Mutual
Aid Response
• Kincaid Fire, Napa County Evac.
Shelters Med OPS
• Glass Fire, Napa County – Mutual Aid
Response
• Napa County COVID Testing Drive
Through Clinic – Mutual Aid Response
• Community CPR Train the Trainer
• Community First Aid/AED Training
• Stop the Bleed Trainings
• COVID-19 Mission Response
o Imperial County COVID19
ACS Unit Support
o CCC Skilled Nursing
Facilities
o Craneway ACS, Richmond,
CA
o CON Fire COVID Vaccine
Response POD
o Community Equity COVID Vaccine Clinics
• Hands on Disaster Preparedness Training
o Dozier Libbey HOSA
o Heritage High HOSA
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 6
Lisa’s presence will be missed. We wish her the best in her new endeavor and look forward to
continuing this amazing work.
With this transition, Contra Costa has a new MRC Coordinator, Theresa Dade-
Boone.
Theresa brings with her experience as Contra Costa Health Services’ (CCHS)
Volunteer Program Coordinator and as former Director of School Health Centers
in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. She looks forward to focusing
her efforts on creating full transparency about the MRC work and to continue to collaborate and
serve.
The MRC has a wonderful history
of supporting events, and
activities, as well as disasters.
With their knowledge and
expertise, we will be expanding
their role, clinically, by providing
them with additional training and
understanding of the Public Health
Department. This will provide the
MRC access to more volunteer
opportunities in CCHS vaccine,
testing and equity clinics. CCHS
staff will be providing clinical
expertise to help with training and
support as needed until we recruit
and hire a complimentary MRC
clinical lead.
We are very thankful of our MRC Volunteers and all that they do and look forward to making a full
transition to continue to support community.
Sonoma County MRC
Sonoma County MRC would like to recognize
MRC member Inga Askamit who volunteered
at Sonoma County office of education
(SCOE) clinics to vaccinate staff last year.
Inga represents many recently retired RN’s
who helped out during COVID-19. Please see
Inga’s excerpts below.
“Inside the brand-new high school
gymnasium, I was directed to the glass,
mirrored, and barred dance studio for my
assignment. When the lead nurse came in, I
proudly displayed my Medical Reserve Corps
volunteer badge and stated my name.
“After a too-brief orientation, I was ready to
draw, I took the vial of Moderna vaccine in
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 7
my hands as if it was an eggshell. Above all, I didn’t want to do anything to harm the precious,
lifesaving liquid.”
“Having a supportive mentor, letting go of perfectionism, and doing instead of fretting were all key. So
many years ago, It was my nursing instructors and experienced staff nurses who got me through.
This time it was the bright capable students and now could help a fellow retired nurse figure it out,
reclaiming the pleasure of helping others with my hard-earned clinical skills. I still had it.”
San Diego County Medical Reserve Corps
The San Diego County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is excited to announce a new specialty group:
The Medical Countermeasures (MCM) team. MCM was started in December 2021. Expanded from
the previously known Rapid Response Team, interested volunteers will be provided training
opportunities and be involved in drills and exercises which will prepare them to be deployed to assist
during potential public health emergencies. Public health emergencies may stem from naturally
occurring or man-made disasters, including bioterrorism, environmental incidents, emergent disease,
mass casualty incidents, and more.
MCM volunteers serve some of San Diego’s most vulnerable populations and currently travel to
congregate care settings to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to populations that are unable to travel
due to the limitations they may have. Responsibilities of volunteers from the MCM team include
vaccinating, monitoring guests following vaccination, and responding to all emergencies at the site.
To ensure a well-trained team, an onboarding session is required and provided monthly to new
volunteers. Following the orientation, volunteers must attend further training and pass a skills
competency check. MCM volunteers are also required to register through the Disaster Health
Volunteers Site (DHV) and complete all San Diego MRC Unit requirements, which include, but are not
limited to, submitting an active Basic Life Support certification, FEMA 100, and FEMA 700 National
Incident Management System training completion certificates, and passing an interview. Volunteers
are also registered with the California Disaster Service Worker Volunteer Program. As of March 2022,
there are 21 fully screened and trained MCM volunteers and 77 who are currently interested in this
enhanced program.
For more information on the MCM team, please contact
mrc-volcoord.hhsa@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 8
Online Disaster Training Opportunities
California is fortunate that over 105,500 volunteers are
registered on the DHV System. Volunteers can be notified
and given opportunities to serve in critical healthcare and
non-healthcare positions when a disaster strikes in our
State. As you are one of those who have made the
commitment to register as a potential volunteer, you may
want to take a next step and complete entry-level disaster
training. There are on-line FEMA training opportunities you
can complete on your own schedule.
IS-42.A: Social Media in Emergency Management
Link: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=is-42.a
Course Objectives:
• Explain why social media is important for emergency management.
• Describe the major functions and features of common social media sites currently used in
emergency management.
• Describe the opportunities and challenges of using social media during the five mission
areas of emergency management.
• Describe best practices for using social media during the five mission areas of emergency
management.
• Describe the process for building social media capabilities and sustaining the use of social
media in emergency management organizations (state, local, tribal, territorial).
IS-240.C: Leadership and Influence
Link: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-240.c
Course Objectives:
• Explain what leadership means for emergency personnel.
• Explain why effective leadership begins with personal insight and development.
• Identify your leadership capabilities and areas for personal development.
• Describe a change management model and the process for planning, communicating, and
implementing changes.
• Describe how to build and rebuild trust in an organization.
• Use personal influence and develop political savvy to network and influence people
effectively.
• Develop strategies for creating a positive work environment that fosters leadership and a
commitment to continuous improvement in others.
*Source: https://training.fema.gov/is/crslist.aspx
To learn more about training classes
and many other training
opportunities, visit FEMA’s
Emergency Management Institute’s
website:
http://www.training.fema.gov/EMI/
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 9
DHV “User Tips”
DHV Deployment Preferences: Responder Activity Preferences
DHV allows volunteers to set their activity preferences. To access the Deployment Preferences page, go to
My Profile: Deployment Prefs the following page opens:
To edit your activity preferences,
click the Edit Information
button on the top left of the page
In Responder Activity Preferences, you can indicate responder activities for which you want to be contacted.
In this example, you selected “Surge, Vaccinator, and Contact Tracer”. Click “Save Changes” when you are
finished.
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 10
DHV is California’s ESAR-VHP Program
The Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health
Professionals (ESAR-VHP) is a federal program created to support states and
territories in establishing standardized volunteer registration programs for
disasters and public health and medical emergencies.
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers (DHV), California's ESAR-VHP program,
administered at the state level, verifies health professionals' identification and
credentials so that they can respond more quickly when disaster strikes. By registering through
ESAR-VHP, volunteers' identities, licenses, credentials, and accreditations are verified in advance,
saving valuable time in emergency situations.
Why Do We Need ESAR-VHP?
In the wake of disasters and public health and medical emergencies, many of our nation's health
professionals are eager and willing to volunteer their services. In these times of crisis, hospitals,
clinics, and temporary shelters are dependent upon the services of health professional volunteers.
However, on such short notice, taking advantage of volunteers' time and capabilities presents a major
challenge to hospitals, public health, and emergency response officials. For example, immediately
after the attacks on September 11, 2001, tens of thousands of people traveled to ground zero in New
York City to volunteer and provide medical assistance. In most cases, authorities were unable to
distinguish those who were qualified from those who were not - no matter how well-intentioned.
There are significant problems associated with registering and verifying the credentials of health
professional volunteers immediately following major disasters or emergencies. Specifically, hospitals
and other facilities may be unable to verify basic licensing or credentialing information, including
training, skills, competencies, and employment. Further, the loss of telecommunications may prevent
contact with sources that provide credential or privilege information. The goal of the ESAR-VHP
program is to eliminate a number of the problems that arise when mobilizing health professional
volunteers in an emergency response.
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers (DHV)
In accordance with federal mandate, California has developed the Disaster Healthcare Volunteers
(DHV) Program to facilitate and manage the registration, credentialing, and deployment of volunteer
healthcare professionals (VHPs) in California. DHV uses a software system for the management of
volunteers, including the registration, notification, communication, and credentialing needs associated
with volunteer management. The DHV Program is the single source system operated and
administered by local, regional, and State, public health, and emergency medical services agencies.
DHV is administered by all system stakeholders and managed by the California EMS Authority in
partnership with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). DHV volunteers include
healthcare professionals (medical, public health, mental health, EMS, and other personnel) who are
willing to be called upon in the event of an emergency or disaster. DHV volunteers are pre-registered
and pre-credentialed. Deployment of volunteers will follow Standardized Emergency Management
System (SEMS) procedures.
To register on the DHV system or get more information, visit our website,
www.healthcarevolunteers.ca.gov
Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Journal Spring 2022 11
Have You Updated Your DHV Registration Information
Lately?
We depend upon each of you to update your DHV profile with your correct
information. It is important that you take a moment to update your DHV
System information when your information changes. Have you moved? Do
you have a new occupation or a new employer? Have your email or phone
numbers changed?
Please take a moment to update your file. Just log into
www.healthcarevolunteers.ca.gov and click on the "Profile" tab. From there,
you can navigate through your information. Click on "Edit Information" to
make your changes and then be sure to click on "Save Changes" when you
have completed your edits.
The DHV Journal is Published and Distributed Via Email
News and information for participants in the Disaster Healthcare Volunteers Program administered by
EMSA and operated by System Administrators in local communities and Medical Reserve Corps
Coordinators throughout California. This Journal is published and distributed periodically to the partners of
the DHV Program.
Elizabeth Basnett, Interim Director, EMSA
Louis Bruhnke, Chief Deputy Director, EMSA
Craig Johnson, Chief, Disaster Medical Services Division
Theresa Gonzales, Manager, Response Personnel Unit
Jim Dong, Response Personnel Unit
Todd Frandsen, Response Personnel Unit
Janet Lago, Response Personnel Unit
Jacob McGee, Response Personnel Unit
Lauran Molina, Response Personnel Unit
Jesus Ochoa, Response Personnel Unit
William “Robbie” Smith, Response Personnel Unit
EMSA - DHV Journal,
10901 Gold Center Drive, Suite 400, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Phone: (916) 322-4336 Ext. 1766
https://emsa.ca.gov/
